Refrigerator car



L. E. CARTMILL REFRIGERATOR CAR Filed Sept. l0, 1928 Jan. 6, 1931.

. p, N SMS mi m Inventor Log B9 Fttorneg Patented Jan. 6, 1931 PATENT OFFICE LOYD E. CARTMILL, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA REFnIGEnA'ron can Application led September 10, 1928. Serial No. 305,010.

This invention relates to refrigerator cars, and more particularly to the provision of insulation against' external heat.

In order to maintain the cargo in a refrigerator car in good condition, care of course must be taken to keep the temperature therein at a proper low value. For this purpose, ice is quite often placed not only in the ice compartment, but also in the cargo compartment. Careful heat insulation is also essential in order that frequent icing be obviated. It is one of the objects of my invention to provide an effective heat insulation for such cars, and especially for the fioor thereof. I have found that in order to obtain the full benefit of insulation for these purposes, the insulation layers, such as felted or cellular material, must be continuous and unbroken so far as possible; for if there be abutting edges of the layers, these layers, in

stretching or contracting, may leave considerable areas unprotected against loss of refrigeration. It is accordingly another object of my invention to provide a continuous and unbroken series of insulation layers, and

thereby to maintain the car interior at refrigerating temperature for a long period after each icing.

As mentioned before, it is now quite common to ice the cargo compartment of the car as well as the ice compartment, when the nature of the cargo carried so requires. It is another object of my invention to prevent injury to the car by the movement of the ice or cargo therein; and to ensure against the entrance of moisture between the iioor layers.

My invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more easily apparent from a considera- 0 tion of one embodiment of my invention. For this purpose I have shown a form in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. I shall nowI proceed to describe this form in detail, which 5 illustrates the general principles of my invention; but it4 is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limitin sense, since the scope of my invention is est defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary transverse section of the flooring through a refrigerator car embodying my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section, taken adjacent the ice compartment of the car.

In the present instance I show a refrigerator car having most of its substantial framework built in accordance with regular practice. Thus there4 are the side sills or beams 60 11, and a center beam 12. The outer walls of the car can be formed of a layer of wood 13, which may be tongued and grooved. This layer 'can be supported in any appropriate manner, which is not any part of the present invention.

In order to form the floor of the car, I first of all place a layer of transverse boards 14 at the bottom, supported in any desired manner on the beams or sills 11, 12. For example, the angle irons 15 fastened to beams 11 can be used to support the ends of these transverse boards.

Over this layer, I place one or more layers of heat insulation, that are of such size that a single piece covers the entire floor area. Thus I show a layer 16 of felted or hair material, such for example as is known as hairinsul. This is of such width and length that all of its four edges can be turned up, as in- 80 dicated in both Figs. 1 and 2. This layer can be held in place by transverse or longitudinal cleats 17, 18, 19, or by both transverse and longitudinal cleats. `These cleats are shown as slightly compressing this layer wherev they 35 extend thereover, since hairinsul is non-rigid and readily compressible.

I show another layer 20 of insulation, also comprising a single p iece of material, made from some comparatively rigid cellular material, such as celotex. his layer is fastened over the cleats 17 ,-18, 19, and there is accordingly, an air layer 21 between the two layers of insulation. The comparatively rigid layer 20 then serves as a support for another layer 95 22, similar to layer 16. This layer also, is made from a single, unbroken sheet, the edges of which can be turned up. These turned up edges 23 effectively protect the corners of the 10o car against heat.

Above layer 22 is the tongue and groove fiooring 24, which is spaced from the layer 22 to leave an intervenin air space 25. This flooring extends across t e width of the car and over the beams 11; it also extends lon tudinally as far as the bearing rail 26 for 511e bulkhead separating the ice compartment from the cargo compartment. It is to be noted that this rail rests on the topmost layer of hairinsul 22, and does not interfere with its continuity.

The outer walls of the car also have insulation layers. Thus beneath the boards 13 there is a layer of hairinsul 27; then an air space formed between vertical posts 28, and then several layers 29 of insulation. At the side corners, I provide a mold 30 having a slightly overhanging edge 31 and a rounded interior corner 32. The inner wall lining 33 can be supported near its bottom edge on this mold 30. If desired, the conventional cargo racks 34 can be provided, hinged on appropriate hinge leaves 35. These leaves or supports have vertical extensions 41 that are disposed in recesses in lining 33. Bolts 42 serve to fasten the supports 35 to the wall. It is seen that the face of lining 33 extends beyond "the end of bolt 42, so that no projections are present to injure the cargo when the cargo shifts. Furthermore, the hinge is at a con siderable distance above the floor. When the rack 34 is raised on its hinge, it thus resents a large clear space for cleaning the oor or for inspection, removal or repairing of the floor covering material.

A continuous layer of waterproof felt paper 36 is attached or pasted over the flooring 24. This is carried up over the sides of molds 30 to protect the corners against moisture. Beading 37 holds the top edge of this layer in place on molds 30. Due to the fact that the inner linin 33 of the car extends beyond the corners, dafinite advantages are sel cured. First, sliding of ice or cargo against this layer cannot injure the corners; and second, whatever moisture collects on the car interior will dri down from the lower edge of linin 33, an cannot find its way beneath mem rane or layer 36. \The waterproof felt paper 36 extends substantially the whole length of the car. As shown most clearly in Fig. 2, it passes over the edge of the drip pan 38 which is disposed at the bottom of the ice compartment, and which overlies the bulkhead rail 26, forming a continuation of the upper surface of flooring 24. The layer 36 in fact is preferably carried down over the inner edge of rail 26. A protection angle 39 of metal can be disposed over the layer 36; and the bulkhead (not shown) can be fastened to rail 26 in any desired fashion, as by bolts 40. It is apparent that the layer 36, protected by angle 39, and overlapping pan 38, will cause all moisture in the car to find its way into this pan,

and thence out through a conventional drain. Thus no moisture from melting ice in the cargo compartment can How down into the iooring proper.

I claim:

1. A refrigerator car fiooring having one or more layers of heat insulation, characterized by the fact that said layers of insulation are each a continuous and unbroken piece covering substantially entirely the whole oor area of the car, and having all of their edges turned u 2. In a refrlgerator car flooring, a supporting layer, one or more layers of insulation material disposed thereover, and cleats for holding and separating the layers, said layers being each formed of continuous material extending over substantially the entire floor area, and having upturned edges.

3. In a refri erator car flooring, a layer of insulation mage from cellular self-Supporting material, and a pliant insulation layer supported directly thereon, and having its edges turned over.

4. In a refrigerator car structure, a floor, side walls, means for forming an inner lining for the walls, said lining projecting inwardly beyond the corner to prevent objects in the car from hitting the corner.

5. In a refrigerator car structure, a fioor,

side walls, a continuous waterproof layer for the fioor extending part ways up the walls, and a lining for the walls projecting inwardly awa from the waterproof layer on the walls, t e bottom edge of said lining being thus spaced from the layer, to protect the corners and to prevent moisture collecting on the lining from entering back of the layer.

6. In a refrigerator car floorin structure, a flooring for the car, a bulkhead rail adjacent one end of the floor and assisting to define a cargo and an ice compartment, and a pan having an edge disposed over the rail, and a waterproof layer for the floor extending over the said edge and down into the pan.

7. In a refrigerator car iooring, a bulkhead rail adjacent one end of the floor and assisting to define a cargo and an ice compartment, flooring material extending adjacent the' rail and forming the floor of the cargo compartment, and a waterproof layer on the floor and having an edge disposed over the rail.

8.' In a refri erator car flooringl structure, a iooring or the car, a bulkhead rail adjacent one end of the floor and assisting to define a cargo and an ice compartment, a pan having an edge dis osed over the rail,

and a waterproof layer or the floor extend-- ing over the said edge and down into the pan, and a protecting metal angle disposed over the overlapping portion of the layer.

9. In a refrigerator car structure, means so fastening t forming a iioor and side walls, a linin for the side walls, a ioor rack disposed a ve no projections beyond the lining surface.

10. In a refrigerator car structure, means forming a iioor and side walls, a lining for the side walls, a iioor rack disposed above the fioor, and means for hinging wall, including a hinge ea and means for e hinge leaf to the wall that the leaf does not project beyond the lining surface.

11. In a refrigerator car structure, means forming a Hoor and side walls a ioor rack disposed above the floor, and means for hinging the rack, said means bein supported solel on the wall a substantia distance above t e floor to permit raising the rack so as to gain ready access to the oor.

12. In a refrigerator car oor, a layer of wood, a non-ri id continuous insulation material thereon, aving its edgesturned up, a rigid layer of cellular insulation sup orted in spaced relation above said non-rigi insulation, a supplemental non-rigid layer of insulation directly supported on the rigid layer and having its edges turned up, and a wood flooring spaced above said supplemental non-rigid la er.

13. In a refrlgerator car Hoor', a layer of wood, a non-ri 'd continuous insulation material thereon aving its edges turned up, a rigid layer of cellular insulation sup in spaced relation above said non-rigx insulation, a supplemental non-rigid layer of insulation directly supported on the rigid layer and having its edges turned up, a wood flooring spaced above said sup lemental nonrigid layer, and waterproo material fastened to the wood flooring, having its edges turned up.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set the rack on the rted LOYD E. CARTMILL 

